Question:
Why people with wls have hernia? Is the normal?

I will going to have my sergury on 4/25/06 and I start to get worry about hernia problems, becuase I hear that 95% of wls, they usually gat hernia, the is true? I don't want to go back and fouth to the hospital, I am thinking to cancel my sergury day, I need some advise, thanks    — janethjaquez (posted on April 12, 2006)

April 12, 2006
It is fairly common for anyone who has had *any* abdominal surgery, OR been morbidly obese, OR had children to get hernias. The fear of hernia is no reason to cancel surgery . . . hernia will help you get TT when skinny.
   — rayehawk

April 12, 2006
95% is rather a high number. We have over 140 ppl in our support group, and I know of only a couple pple, and I am one of them. I did not even know I had one before they found it. I was in the hospital for another reason. Steve Cohen
   — Steve Cohen

April 12, 2006
About 1/3 of those who get OPEN surgery develop one or more hernias because the abdominal wall is cut. LAP surgery where only holes are made for access the rate is near zero! So to effectively avoid the hernia issue choose LAP surgery which also has faster recovery, less pain, less chance of infection and enables you to get moving easier after surgery diminishing the risk of serious complications like blood clots from too much inactivity.
   — bob-haller

April 13, 2006
have your surgery done lap then; far far less chance of getting a hernia. But hernia's are such a small price to pay for what you get by having WLS. If you cancel just because of a hernia; it may be just an excuse and you need to 'think' about why you need surgery to begin with.
   — star .

April 13, 2006
I've been walking around with a minor one for over a year. Have a lap surgery and you should be fine. If not, keep tabs on your incision and you should be fine as well. Good luck.
   — RebeccaP

April 13, 2006
I ended up with a hernia on my incision, BUT that is also partially due to lifting too heavy and what have you. Not everyone who gets the incision will get a hernia. And hernia surgery isn't horrid even if it does happen. But I wouldn't worry about it, like others have said, it doesn't happen to anyone. It would be a tragic idea to cancel surgery because of worrying about a hernia. Just take good care of yourself after your surgery, and don't be reckless. :) You will be fine. God bless you.
   — Tracydarlin

April 14, 2006
hernias are common for anyone with surgery in an abdominal wall area. Surgery causes the area to become weaker because you are creating an opening in the abdominal wall that was not previously there. I have had four hernias and they are not that big a deal. Sometimes, when we are morbidly obese, we have hernias we dont even know about if they are not painful from straining and carrying all that weight, so on occassion they are there previously and not noticed because of our girth. I would not consider hernias a hinderance in my choice to have surgery, i had it in 2001.
   — Kimberly Felan

April 14, 2006
People don't usually 'choose' to have open RNY, it is by the decission of their doctor...not a choice....usually caused by previous scar tissue,mesh from previous surgeries, etc...certainly nothing we choose to do.....but if a hernia appears, after losing your weight....fix it time.....no big deal, just more mesh.......
   — ahargis